


Then Came You

by PisceanVirtue



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Divorce, F/M, Mutual Pining, One Night Stand, Smut, forbidden relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-14 16:11:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14772887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PisceanVirtue/pseuds/PisceanVirtue
Summary: Scott’s marriage ends over a plate of salmon pasta, the fire crackling in the background and his toes buried in the rug beneath his feet.He’s barely taken three bites of his dinner before he hears the words that flip his world on its head.“I want a divorce.”OR the one where Tessa is a family lawyer and Scott is getting divorced.





	1. Revelations

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by @rainy-sunshine's prompt list on tumblr.

Scott’s marriage ends over a plate of salmon pasta, the fire crackling in the background and his toes buried in the rug beneath his feet.

He’s barely taken three bites of his dinner before he hears the four words that flip his world on its head.

“I want a divorce.”

Scott could lie and say that he hadn’t seen this coming, but that wouldn’t be the truth now, would it? Truth be told, he’d seen this coming from a mile away. 

_It started with mornings. Scott waking Natasha before rushing off to the rink just early enough to wake her in the best way he knew how – his mouth and three fingers, sweet and gentle, before fucking into her, hard and lawless. Until it stopped. Natasha started protesting his lips on her neck, shoving him away. Her resistance continued until one day, Scott slipped out of the bedroom door without so much as a second look._

_It continued with afternoons. The freedom granted to Natasha by working from home meant that much of her free time was spent visiting Scott for lunch at the rink. She’d drop by with her latest baking creation, splitting with the rest of the coaching staff and spending a lazy half-hour in Scott’s office. Until it stopped. Natasha texted him one day, apologising profusely for being swept off her feet. Eventually the apologies stopped coming, and Scott no longer checked his phone at noon._

_It ended with evenings. Home-proud, Natasha always had dinner waiting for Scott when he came home. He gratefully received, thanking her with a kiss and a back massage while they watched Netflix on the couch. Until it stopped. Scott would come home and Natasha would have already eaten, muttering something about leftovers in the fridge. The nightly dinners together, sharing stories about their day, as well as the kisses and back massages all stopped._

He rummages through his vocabulary to find a rational response to his wife’s words, but comes up with nothing.

“Don’t act surprised. I’m moving back into my mom’s at the end of the week. My lawyer will be in touch.”

Natasha’s face is unreadable.

“Tash, I’m sorry.” He stretches his hand out to lay his hand atop hers, provide some sort of reassurance as he always had. She remains unmoved.

“Me too.”

Almost four years to the day they married, Scott realises that he and his wife have simply fallen out of love with each other. 

* * *

His mother takes it better than he expected.

He had feared that she would be angry that his relationship with his childhood sweetheart had failed, while his brothers had reached double-digit anniversaries with wives and children. 

He breaks the news to her over a cup of coffee at the rink, stood leaning against the boards. He had called her in the morning, asking her to meet him during the public skating session.

“She just came out with it, out of the blue over dinner. Said she wanted a divorce and that was it.” His eyes flick up to watch the public skating session, and his eyes are drawn to two brunettes, so alike he wonders whether they may be twins. They are a natural on their skates, and he watches as one of them executes a perfect rocker turn.

“Did you try and change her mind?” She rests her free hand on his arm, drawing him back to the conversation at hand.

“Her mind was already made up, Mom. No point fighting it. I’ve made an appointment with some divorce lawyer, I’m seeing her in three weeks.” 

He turns to face her, and she envelops him in a hug.

“I just want you to be happy, Scotty.”

“Me too, Mom.”

* * *

His world is flipped on its head for a second time when he enters his lawyers office. 

“Mr Moir? Ms. Virtue will see you now.” The receptionist looks up from her desk and gestures to the door ajar to Scott’s right. 

Scott gives her a perfunctory nod, picks up his messenger back from beside his seat in the waiting room and enters the office. She had come highly recommended from just about everyone he knew, and as far as he was aware came from a family of respected lawyers in the London area. 

He closed the door behind him and turned to take a seat.

Holy shit.

First she’s young and _gorgeous_. Second, he can’t shake the feeling that he has seen this woman somewhere before.

“Hello, Mr. Moir. I’m Tessa Virtue.”

And then it hits him like a freight train. 

_Two weeks to the day that Natasha had ended their marriage, Scott was pounding shot after shot in Molly Bloom’s pub in London with Jamie and Ryan from his old high-school. Inhibitions significantly lowered by the alcohol coursing through his veins and the suddenly-overwhelming feeling of freedom, he had made his way to the dance floor._

_His eyes met a brilliant pair of green ones a few feet away, and gravitated towards her until they were dancing as though they were the only people in the room. She pressed her ass against his groin and he took her by the hand, hailing a taxi outside and leading her into his marital home by the lips._

_It was the best sex he’d had in a long time. She moved instinctively, reading his cues and shifting her hips over him accordingly. She rocked over and over, coming with a clench of her internal muscles and a soft sigh of his name._

_“Scott.”_

_He did the same as he released himself inside her._

_“Tessa.”_


	2. Crises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott meets Tessa for the first time after that fateful night at Molly Bloom's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this goes without saying but I'm obviously not a lawyer and have no legal experience so apologies if there are any glaring errors with respect to this side of the story.

Much to Scott’s surprise, his first meeting with Tessa Virtue is surprisingly… _unremarkable._

“Hello Mr. Moir, I’m Tessa Virtue. Take a seat.”

Somehow, Scott manages to pull something that resembles a normal sentence from the midst of his brain mid-freak out.

“Please, call me Scott.” 

He takes his seat opposite her and gets his first real look at his hook-up turned goddamn _lawyer_. Scott is vaguely aware of the sound of her lilting voice as he takes in the green, gorgeous green, of her eyes, the perfect slope of her nose and the way those cherry pink lips curl around every syllable. Her chestnut hair is curled, tendrils framing her face and falling just past her shoulders. His eyes trace the freckles adorning her face and wonders what they would look like in the pale morning light of his bedroom, her body pressed underneath his own.

He is pulled back to the present as Tessa goes over the details of the costs entailed by her services. As she describes hourly rates, costs of letters and representation in court, there is no sign of recognition upon her face, no sign that she remembers what it felt like to come around his cock barely a week ago. Did he imagine the whole thing?

“Let’s get into it, then. No prenup, am I correct?” Scott nods his head. She scribbles on her legal pad and hums to herself.

“And no children, either?” He repeats his head movement and swears he can see the corners of her mouth curl up. “Well, that certainly makes things a little easier. Custody battles can be one of the hardest parts of a divorce. But apart from that, just a shared house, car and a joint bank account?” 

“Uh… yeah. That’s about it.”

She sets her notes down in front of her and leans forward on her desk, the sleeves of her pale grey dress providing a barrier between her elbows and the solid wood. She rests her chin on her hands and she _croons_.

“What do you want, Scott?” She narrows her eyes.

He swallows as various fantasies flick through his mind. He wants to fuck her pretty little mouth, he wants to hear her beg. He wants her bent over the desk, pressed against the door, on the carpet, friction burns be damned. He clears his throat, trying to think of decidedly un-erotic thoughts to prevent an awkward situation from arising in his pants.

“You want the house? Car? What do you wanna keep?”

Oh.

“I want the house. I paid for most of it with my savings and I feel that it’s only fair I get it. Plus, Natasha moved out and is living with her mom for now.” 

Scott pushes every impure though he has had to the back of his mind and focuses as he and Tessa discuss the terms of the divorce that Natasha would be most likely to agree to. She gets the car and 60 percent of their savings while he keeps the house. Tessa describes the process going forward and explains that if Natasha agrees to their proposal, their marriage could be ended within 6 months.

“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Scott. I’ll get drafting the terms of your divorce to send to Natasha’s lawyer. In the meantime, here’s my business card in case you need to contact me for any reason.”

They both stand, and Tessa’s warm hand presses the small piece card into his. 

“I didn’t imagine what happened last week… did I?” Tessa drops her hand as though Scott has burned her. The words are out before Scott has the chance to stop them and he wants the ground to swallow him whole, bury his body under a pile of legal pads and the rubble of Tessa’s office. 

Judging by the flush creeping from her cheeks to her neck, she feels the same way. And she remembers. Time seems to slow, the seconds lasting minutes, as he waits for her to respond.

“Scott, it’s unethical for lawyers to be involved with their clients,” she croaks out. “I’d ask another lawyer to take on your case but everyone has a full caseload. Can we please keep this professional?” Her eyes plead with him. 

He feels like he’s been punched in the gut.

“Uh… of course. Strictly professional.” 

“And please, don’t mention what happened to anyone. I won’t lose my job but this could really hurt my chances at making partner one day.” Tessa’s brow furrows, visible marks of the worry etched across her forehead.

“Sure. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She nods.

“Well, thanks. See you next week?” 

She nods again, and he walks out the door.

* * *

He tells his brother as soon as he steps outside the building.

The first time Scott calls, the phone goes to voicemail. He gets in his car and tries again and Danny picks up after the first ring.

“Hey Scotty, how did the appointment go?” Scott recognises the voices of his nieces and nephews in the background and feels a pang of loneliness.

“You know my uh… hook-up last week… at Molly’s?” Danny lets out an unrecognisable groan.

“Scott, please don’t tell me you fucked your divorce lawyer.” 

The uncomfortable laugh from the other end of the phone is all Danny needs to confirm his suspicion.

“You know you can’t do anything about this, right? It’s unethical.”

“Yeah. She told me.”

“Wait, you talked about it!?”

Scott pinches the bridge of his nose, wondering what he was going to do.

“I… asked her.” He hears yet another sigh from his phone. “Danny, I had to know I hadn’t imagined it. She was acting so _normal_ ”

His brother’s sigh sounds, quite frankly, exasperated.

“And she’s gorgeous. Like holy hell, Danny. I swear I’ve never seen someone as beautiful as her. What am I supposed to do?”

“I mean, what do you want me to say, Scott? She told you herself, you can’t do anything about it. Besides, your marriage only ended three weeks ago. Don’t you think you should wait a little before jumping into another relationship? I know we joke about you being a serial monogamist, but this is taking the joke too far.”

“I know. All of it, I know.” He leans his head against the steering wheel.

They sit in silence for a moment before Danny speaks again.

“I’ve gotta go Scotty, but good luck with your lady problems. Stay away from her, okay? Don’t make this any more complicated than it has to be.”

Scott knows he can’t make that promise.

“Bye, Danny. Talk soon.”

_Fuck._


	3. Advances

Scott keeps his promise to Danny, until he sees Tessa at Molly Bloom’s, _again_.

He had remained professional, choosing to approach their next appointment as though they were complete strangers without a shred of history between them.

Tessa’s apparently genuine smile at the end of the appointment served as an unspoken _thank you_ for seemingly forgetting their shared history.

It feels like déjà vu. There she was, in a booth with another brunette, looking so alike they could be twins. Through his alcohol-fogged brain, he vaguely comes to the conclusion that Tessa and her sister must have been the two girls he saw skating at the rink a while back.

The knowledge that Tessa is, or was, a skater makes Scott’s heart soar. It also does little to quieten the part of his brain that sounds remarkably like Danny, screaming at him to _remain professional,_ for God’s sake.

He stands at the bar with Mike nursing a beer, the Leafs game on the screens in front of him, and he catches her eye across the room. Scott swears it felt like a moment from a movie, one that his friends love to tease him for enjoying so much.

Her elbows were resting against the table, chin resting on her hands, and her sister says something that makes her laugh so hard she leans back and hits her head against the seat, causing her to laugh even harder. Despite the considerable distance between them, he can still make out the piercing green of her eyes, twinkling with the traces of laughter.

“Earth to Scotty?” He makes out the shape of a hand waving in front of his face and turns back round to Mike. “Where’d you go there, bud?”

Scott swallows and jerks his head in the direction of Tessa over his right shoulder.

“Oh shit, she’s a cutie,” he drawls. 

Scott’s eyes drift towards the TV screens, silently praying to avoid broaching this topic. The Leafs are up by 2 goals.

“Hey, we can get you laid if that’s what you want dude” and nudges Scott with his elbow.

“I can’t get laid. Not with her, anyway.”

“Come on, she’s not too far out of your league. Get another drink in her and she’s all yours, man. She’s giving you fuck-me eyes if I ever saw ‘em”

Scott’s hand clenched involuntarily around his beer bottle, the moisture seeping into his skin, wrinkling the tips of his fingers.

“She’s my fucking divorce lawyer, _dude_ . So no, she’s not all mine.” He runs his right hand through his hair, growing longer since Natasha was no longer around to remind him to get it cut.

Mike’s rebuttal was interrupted as the Leafs scored during the second period, and all thoughts of Tessa were swept away by the excitement of the game.

* * *

40 minutes and one Maple Leafs victory later, Scott found himself stood on the pub’s patio in the mild spring air while Mike smoked next to him.

“So I told her if you’re gonna get mad at me, at least let me tell my side of the story. I mean, how was I supposed to know there was going to be an accident on the same road? Anyway, she shouted at me for a good twenty minutes and then I had to spend the rest of the night on the couch. Fucked my back up, too.” Mike shrugs and takes a long drag.

Scott offered a non-committal grunt in reply, honestly not giving a shit about his friend’s arguments with his girlfriend. Especially not when he was going through a divorce and had the hottest divorce lawyer on the planet.

He leans back against the exposed brick wall and brings his hand to rub at the corners of his eyes, sleep calling to him.

When he opens them, Tessa was stood only a few metres from him, chatting with the other girl and clutching an almost-empty wine glass in her hand.

“Fuck it,” he muttered and took barely three strides towards her. He tapped on her shoulder, his finger hitting gentle resistance in the form of her leather jacket.

She spun around, and _Jesus Christ,_ she was so beautiful.

“Mr Moir,” her face broke out into a gentle smile. And yeah, he was totally fucked.

“Hey, Tessa.” He stuck his hand in his pocket to prevent himself from making any unwanted advances. “We’re not in your office so please, call me Scott.”

She offers a smile in response.

“Sure thing, Scott,” and the way his name rolls off her tongue makes him weak at the knees.

She goes on to explain that she’s out tonight to celebrate her sister’s new job. She’s also a lawyer, specialising in commercial law, and is briefly introduced to Scott.

He feels a pang in his stomach when Tessa introduces him as her client, but what else should he have expected?

The uneasy feeling in his stomach fades away as Tessa launches into a story about her niece’s latest show and tell, where she proceeded to tell the entire class about how her Auntie Tess and Auntie Jordan put ‘bad people in prison’. 

“I had to explain to her that I deal with far more boring subjects than jail, but she wouldn’t believe me! She's only five so I don't think she can quite differentiate between types of lawyers yet.”

Scott is so enraptured by Tessa’s story and the way her eyes light up, hands dancing along with her words, he fails to notice that both Mike and Jordan have long disappeared back inside the pub, as well as half the crowd.

“Asking as your friend…” she trails off, but resumes after Scott raises an eyebrow. “Why did you and your wife break up?” She holds her wine glass against her chest and runs her hand through the curls framing her face.

Scott takes a long second to reply.

“We just… fell out of love. We’d been together since we were 16 and I guess we’re not the people we were when we were kids.” He kicks a bottle-top around with the toe of his shoe before deciding to continue. “She works from home, I work at the rink for 12 hours a day and the separation just got too much. I got offered a job in Montreal and I guess that was the final straw for her.”

Tessa’s head lifts sharply, switching her focus from the bottle-top to Scott.

“Montreal?” She seems alarmed.

“Yeah. To work at another rink.” He plays it cool.

“Oh… that’s amazing though, congratulations. Are you going to take it?” Her brows are furrowed, and Scott will be damned if he doesn’t sense fear in her voice. The corners of his lips widen, allowing the smallest of smiles to grace his face.

“I don’t know yet. What do you think I should do?” 

She giggles at the ground, the melodic sound playing at his heartstrings.

“I think…” she looks up and stares at his mouth. “You should do what makes you happy.” Her eyes flick up and she looks completely doe-eyed, emerald green eyes blanketed by a curtain of lashes.

“Yeah?” He leans forward.

“Yeah.” Her voice is unbearably quiet. She blinks once, twice, and then she is right in front of him.

“Screw this,” he murmurs, and all thoughts of professionalism, lawyer-client etiquette and human fucking _decency_ go out of the window.

A distinct clanging sound fills the silence around them as Scott’s long-empty beer bottle falls to the ground and his hands reach up to frame her jaw.

Before he can make a mental note to take things slow, his lips are sealed around hers and his tongue plunges into her mouth. She whines into his mouth, high-pitched and full of want, and grabs at the collar of his shirt. Her wine glass shatters on the floor.

His voice grumbles low in his throat and he presses his growing erection against her torso.

She stumbles backwards, lips puffy and swollen.

The words tumble from her mouth faster than he can keep up. 

“This was a mistake.” 

She wipes her mouth, straightens her jacket and walks back inside.

Before Scott can catch up, she’s gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to have the next chapter up relatively quickly but I also have another two fics on the go so... who knows.


	4. Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott makes a 2 am phone call.

He sends a text to Tessa before he’s left the pub to make his way home. He fishes the business card that she gave him during their first appointment and punches out a text.

_S: Hi, Tessa. It’s Scott. Just wanted to apologise for this evening, I was totally out of line. Won’t happen again. Are we still okay for Monday’s scheduled appointment?_

He chucks a twenty onto the bar to cover his tab, collects his coat from the bar stool, and turns his phone off before he can check to see whether his text has been delivered. He doesn’t think he can handle rejection twice in the same evening, _thank you very much._

The cool night’s air does well to sober him up, and he arrives back home with a pit in his stomach. Steadfastly refusing to turn his phone on, he uses his house phone to call Danny.

It takes an age for his brother to pick up, only realising just how late it was when he hears his voice.

“Scott, what the fuck? Why are you calling me at 2 am?” Danny’s voice is laden with sleep, rough and hoarse.

Scott cringes, knowing that sleep was a precious commodity with three children under the age of five.

“I’m so sorry man, I didn’t realise how late it was.” He makes his way through his house, shedding his jacket and shoes before collapsing onto the charcoal grey sofa Natasha had picked out for them when they first moved in together.

“Well, I’m up now. Why are you calling me?” Danny repeats.

Scott can tell that Danny’s going to kill him.

“Uhh… you know Tessa?” The groan on the other end of the phone tells him all he needs to know, and this conversation is serving as a painful reminder of Scott calling his brother after his first appointment with Tessa.

“I swear to God, Scott, if you tell me you made a move on her, I’m going to fly to London and slap you round the face.” 

Scott remains silent. He shifts on the sofa and pulls the blanket down from the back of the chair and wraps himself in a cocoon, as though protecting himself from the wrath of his very pissed off brother.

“You made a move on her, didn’t you?” Scott can picture his brother pacing downstairs, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He feels bad, feels as though he’s Danny’s fourth child, an additional source of stress that is definitely not needed. 

“I couldn’t help it. We were at Molly’s, we’d both had a little bit to drink and before I knew it, she was right in front of me and I just lost all self-control.” He exhales. “And then she ran away. Like, literally ran. She was gone before I could catch up. I would’ve found it impressive if I didn’t want the ground to swallow me whole.”

Danny is silent for a beat, no doubt considering how best to respond to his little brother’s troubles in love, before he chimes in.

“What’s so special about this girl that you can’t keep your hands, or lips for that matter, away from her? Seriously, dude. You’ve already slept together so there must be something more than just wanting to get into her pants. Or was it just that good that you want another go?” Scott tries not to cringe at the thought of discussing his sex life with his brother.

“I really like the girl, Danny. God, it sounds cheesy as hell but she’s so captivating, y’know? I could listen to her talk for days. Why do you think I’ve had so many appointments with her?” Scott makes a note to try and avoid calculating the amount of money he’d spent on unessential appointments just to be in the presence of Tessa.

Danny sighs before responding. It’s a heavy sigh, laden with frustration, and Scott winces in preparation for his reply.

“You hardly know anything about her, Scotty. You’ve seen her what, twice outside of her office? And how much of that time was spent actually _talking?_ Don’t do anything stupid before you get to know her. She could be a puppy-killer for all you know.”

The thought of Tessa, sweet as she seemed, harming anything or anyone seemed laughable. A small rush of air escaped Scott’s lungs as he tries and ultimately fails to conjure up the image of a malicious Tessa. The sinful look in her eyes as she rocked on top of him, hands bracing herself against his chest, comes pretty close, but Danny doesn’t have to know that.

“I doubt that, but I hear you. What should I do?” He asks the perennial question that’s been playing on his mind since he realised the enormity of the situation.

“If you’re seriously serious about this girl, you need to take her out on a date. But you _have_ to wait until your divorce is finalised. You can’t change how you first met but you have control now. Don’t make it any more complicated than it has to be.”

Scott rolls a piece of fluff from the blanket between his index finger and thumb.

“Okay. I’ll wait.”

“Thank God. And you’d better stick to your promise this time.”

An image of Tessa, lips pressed against his, flashes into his mind – a reminder of his last broken promise to his brother.

“I promise Danny, for real this time. Thanks, brother”

“No problem. Talk soon.”

The call cuts out. Scott feels so encouraged and invigorated by his new plan that he switches his phone back on, hoping to have a reply from Tessa.

His heart sinks when five minutes later he still has yet to receive a text, but the writing on his phone is clear to see.

_Message Status: Read._

Scott trudges into the bedroom, turns his laptop on, settles into bed and begins to look at apartments in Montreal. 

* * *

The shrill tones of his ringtone rouse him from his slumber.

He shoots upright in bed, his back aching from an uncomfortably restless night, and picks up.

“Scotty, where the hell are you? I’ve had to take your coaching session this morning, you owe me big time. Get your ass here now!” Scott holds the phone away from his head as his mother yells at him.

He glances at the time on the clock, and notices that it’s already 9:30, well past the 7 am start he was used to at the rink.

“Shit, Mom, I’m so sorry. I must’ve forgotten to turn my alarm on.” He is clambering out of bed, shoving on his jeans from last night. “I’ll be there in ten.”

His mother hangs up without a word, and Scott throws on t-shirt and sweater. He grabs a banana from the kitchen on the way through the house, shoves his Nikes on and heads out the door. 

As he gets into his car, his phone chimes with the alert of a new text message.

_T: Hi Scott! Don’t worry about it, it’s in the past now. Still on for the next appointment! See you Monday at 8. :)_

Despite its apparently awful start, Scott decides that today will be a good day.

Through the earful he receives from his mother and the attitude he receives from his students, the thought of Tessa’s text keeps a smile on Scott’s face.

A good day, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies this took so long!
> 
> I accidentally wrote the chapter after this before realising the story needed more filler, so I'll be publishing that tomorrow.
> 
> I'm considering either writing a couple of follow-up chapters or another work from Tessa's point of view, let me know if this is something you'd be interested in reading!
> 
> Hope you liked!


	5. Communication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott finally talks to Tessa about his feelings.

“Unfortunately there’s not much to report back on at this time, Scott.” Tessa unlocks the door of her office, Scott trailing behind, and takes a seat at her desk. He has an early appointment booked before he has to head into the rink, and met Tessa in the car park behind her offices. After some initial awkwardness and an exchange of pleasantries, Tessa was able to relieve the tension with a joke. _“Nothing good ever happens in Molly Bloom’s, eh?”_ He’d chuckled, flustered, and hit right back with _“nothing bad ever happens there either.”_ He’d seen two swirls of pink rise onto her cheeks and thought it was all-too-endearing for 8 am on a Monday morning.

“I’m still waiting to hear back from Natasha’s legal team, but I have to say that the delay in their correspondence suggests this may be a tricky divorce to settle. I’d suggest it’s time that we start thinking about how much you’d be willing to negotiate in terms of the division of your shared assets.” She takes a sip from her Starbucks cup, takes her glasses from their case on her desk, puts them on and looks up at Scott.

He shrugs his jacket off his shoulders and reaches into his briefcase to pick up the leather-bound notebook he’d bought as soon as he left his first appointment with Tessa. 

“Sure. Maybe a higher percentage of our shared savings? I could go to 70% but that’s my maximum. Or she could get the car? It’s getting pretty old and doesn’t have much sentimental value.” 

He pushes the memories of Natasha riding him topless in the driver’s seat to the back of his mind, electing to ignore the memories of the way she’d scrambled over to straddle him after he’d kissed her, all tongue and teeth. How she’d pushed her leggings down to her knees and barely managed to get his jeans halfway down his thighs before she swiped her underwear to the side and sank down on him, her blonde hair falling in front of her face to curtain her blue eyes.

Tessa hums in agreement, bringing him back from a place he’d rather not revisit in the middle of his appointment.

“Exactly my thoughts. Honestly, Scott, it’s all about what you’re the most comfortable with. If you walk away from this divorce feeling unhappy about what you were able to take away from it, I’ve failed in my job. That being said, if she doesn’t agree to those terms, it may be worth thinking about spousal maintenance in order to settle.” She leans back in her chair and folds her arms, a picture of negotiation. She arches a shapely eyebrow and Scott suddenly feels very inferior in her presence.

“Seriously? I thought that spousal maintenance was for women whose husbands were obscenely rich? Like, Beverly Hills, blonde hair, plastic surgery type-women?”

“It’s more common than you’d think, particularly in instances where there’s a greater disparity between each partners income.” Tessa sounds just as frustrated as he does. “But I’m hoping it won’t come to that. I know Natasha’s lawyer well and they’re… incompetent to say the least. We should be able to get Natasha to agree to our terms without too much resistance.” The corners of her mouth turn up.

“You sound awfully confident, I’m glad you’re in my corner. Where did you go to law school again, Tessa?”

Her mouth stretches into a smirk.

“McGill.” 

“In Montreal?” 

“Yeah.”

The mention of the city hits a raw nerve in Scott, and he physically recoils in his chair. The mere mention of a city he _may_ be moving to one day in the not-too-distant future triggers another distinct flurry of memories. Tessa clutching her wine glass as though it was the only thing anchoring herself to the ground, standing mere inches away from him on the patio of Molly Bloom’s. Telling him to do what made him happy, and thinking that the happiest he could be was with his lips upon hers. The taste of her lips, pure sin as her tongue explored his mouth, and the small whine he could’ve sworn he heard escape her throat as he bit down on her bottom lip. The way he wanted to hear that sound on repeat for the rest of his life.

“Tessa-”

“Scott-”

They speak in perfect synchronisation, and Tessa gestures for Scott to speak first. 

“Can we _please _talk about this? I appreciate that I’m your client and I was totally prepared to let… whatever happened between us go, but…” He exhales sharply and rubs a hand over his forehead.__

__“Jesus fuck, Tess. I’m crazy about you. That kiss was one of the best I’ve had in… forever. And I know that this may seem crazy and fast and _whatever_ , but I’ve only ever felt like this about one person in my life. And she’s the person the led me to meet you. And God, I wish we’d met under different circumstances so this wasn’t so difficult, but I feel like if I don’t say something, I’ll never know what could’ve been, y’know.” He’s fully aware that the words are tumbling, tripping out of his mouth before he has the chance to even consider what he’s saying, but he just can’t stop._ _

__“And I know we don’t know each other that well, and it’s been awkward at times because I just can’t get that night out of my head, but you can’t tell me there wasn’t something between us. I don’t go out and fuck random women, I have to have a connection with them. And I feel like that kiss was proof of that connection.” He’s gesturing wildly, waving his hand between himself and Tessa, and is conscious of the fact that he’s lost control of both mind and body._ _

__He desperately searches her face for a trace of emotion, but she is a blank canvas – totally unreadable._ _

__It scares the shit out of him._ _

__“You can’t tell me you didn’t feel it too. You can’t. I can’t be wrong about this.” He shakes his head, leans forward and buries his head in his hands._ _

__He’s going veritably crazy over a girl he can’t even have, who doesn’t feel the same way. He’s actually losing his goddamn mind, and there’s not a single thing he can do about it._ _

__“I feel it too.” Her voice is barely louder than a whisper, but it’s there._ _

__Scott’s head snaps up so fast that he swears he gets whiplash._ _

__“What?”_ _

__“I said I feel it too.” Her face is still _so_ unreadable, and he doesn’t like it. “God, do you know how hard it was for me to leave you on the patio last week?” She lets out a light chuckle and weaves her fingers together as she settles her hands atop of the desk._ _

__“You… what?” Scott sounds incredulous, refusing to believe for even a second that this isn’t some fever-induced dream._ _

__She chuckles lightly, tilting her head down to look down into her lap._ _

__“I don’t just sleep with anyone either, Scott. Jesus, I’d like to believe that you think I at least have standards.” The melodic laughter that tumbles from her mouth is enough to melt Scott into his chair._ _

__“However, I’ve told you before that we can’t do anything about this.” And Scott’s heart sinks. “Not while you’re my client, anyway.” The final word has Scott’s head shooting up from his chest, eyes widening._ _

__“What about after?” He shoots back._ _

__“After is… up to our own discretion.” A wry smile plays on her lips as she shakes her head and brings up her notepad to cover the pale pink rising from her neck to her cheeks. He raises his eyebrows at her apparent innuendo, and she drops the notepad._ _

__“Not like that, Scott! I meant like… dating and stuff.”_ _

__They laugh together for a beat and Tessa chimes back in, approaching the rapidly increasing elephant in the room._ _

__“But I mean… Montreal. Aren’t you moving there? I don’t want to start anything if you’re just going to up and leave.” The familiar tone in which Tessa speaks raises concerns that this wouldn’t be a new experience for her._ _

__“Honestly, I don’t know. It’s an open job offer and I don’t know in the city so it’d be a totally new experience for me. Nothing’s set in stone, that’s for sure.”_ _

__He’s speaking the truth. He’d received a phone call out of the blue, not long after Natasha had told him their marriage was over, from a prestigious skating school in Montreal. The co-owners had described how they’d seen the progress Scott had made with the juniors he coached in London and told him that there was a permanent job vacancy to coach their own juniors if he was ever interested. At the time it had seemed like fate, like the universe was thrusting this opportunity into his hands to get him the hell away from London and his failed marriage. But then Tessa fell into his bed, and, more importantly, his heart._ _

__“Okay. Like I said, do what makes you happy.” A soft smile spreads across her cheeks, and she pulls her clear-framed glasses off her face. “On a more professional note, our scheduled hour is up. And since we’re still waiting to hear back from Natasha’s team about the terms she’s willing to agree to, I don’t think we need to keep Friday’s appointment.”_ _

__“Uh… sure thing.” His heart sinks a smidge as he faces the uncertainty of knowing when he’ll next see Tessa. He stands up from his chair and makes his way to the door, and Tessa is there with her hand on the door handle before he knows it._ _

__“I’ll text you to let you know about the next appointment, okay?” The glint in her eyes piques Scott’s interest._ _

__“I’ll look forward to it, Tess.”_ _

__She smiles and her eyebrows shoot up at the use of his new nickname for her. Her hand drops from the door handle._ _

__“Sorry, too informal?” A grimace spreads across his face._ _

__“Not at all. I think we’re past the point of formalities now, don’t you?”_ _

__“Sure. See you soon, _Tess.__ _

__He opens the door, shoves his hands in the pockets of his coat and grins as he makes his way out of the building._ _


	6. Breakthrough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott's divorce finally begins to move forward.

Scott feels like he waits an eternity until he hears from Tessa about their next appointment.

He debated texting her first but held off on asking whether or not she’d heard back from Natasha’s lawyer. He spends his days going through the motions, getting up at 5:30 every morning and trudging to the rink, coffee in hand. He debates with his teams as they go through drill after drill with the goal of making them the best in the world. They twizzle around and around, building speed and moving ever-closer to each other until Scott is satisfied that they will not face any deductions in front of the judges. They practice turns, basic lifts and other skills to build their foundation, following Scott’s tried-and-tested ‘back to basics’ method of coaching which has so far proved successful. He keeps this up until 12 every day until Amy and Joseph and Kelly and Tom make their way to the gym for off-ice training with the on-site personal trainers. He sequesters himself away in the office, spends a couple of hours going through admin and working on music choices for the upcoming season, eating a pre-packed lunched at his desk. His evenings are spent keeping an eye on the public skating sessions while going over choreography with the juniors, working through all the tweaks that come with a new programme. After everyone goes home and the rink is locked up, Scott heads home to his now-empty house. Devoid of the love that was, once upon a time, created and shared between Scott and Natasha, devoid of the warmth that another person provided. After picking at leftovers or making what can barely qualify as dinner, Scott heads up to his bedroom, lays down in his now-too large King-sized bed and falls asleep.

_Rinse and repeat._

It’s a full 10 days since his last appointment when his phone lights up with Tessa’s name while he’s sat at his desk writing an email to a local composer whose services he’s used in the past regarding a piece for Amy and Joseph’s short dance. It’s Latin this year, and Scott couldn’t tell you how many hours he’d spent on YouTube, Spotify and iTunes trying to find the perfect music for his team. The printer is whirring in the background and the rustling of paper provide a backing track for his afternoon. He’s distracted from his keyboard when he hears a buzz and picks his phone up.

_**T: Hey, Scott. Natasha’s lawyers have come back with an offer for terms they’d be willing to agree to. Any chance you’re free at 4 pm today to come by the office to look over the details? Tessa.**_

Damn his busy schedule. If he could, he’d drop everything right this second and run to Tessa’s office.

_**S: Hey Tessa. Busy day, unfortunately, I’m stuck at the rink till 8. I could make tomorrow at the same time if that works for you? Scott.**_

He barely has time to set his phone back on the desk before it lights up once again.

_**T: Sure thing. See you at 4pm tomorrow. Tessa :)**_

She sent him a goddamn smiley face, and his own face splits open with the goofiest grin. 

“Do I want to ask what some pretty girl has been texting you to get you to smile like that?” His mother shoots accusingly from her own desk on the other side of the office. Her eyebrows have taken residence close to her hairline, and Scott knows how this looks to an outsider, much less his own mother.

“God, Mom, it’s not a girl. Danny sent me some stupid video of a dog, that’s all.”

Alma sees through his lies like only a mother could, but chooses to leave the topic to lie for now. It also doesn’t help that her eldest has called her on more than one occasion to vent about his brother’s constant phone calls at inappropriate hours of the day, wallowing in self-pity.

“Whatever you say, Scotty.” She shakes her head and goes back to filing paperwork. She’ll save her questions about Tessa for another day.

* * *

He’s an hour into working through the latest choreography for Amy and Joe’s free dance when he sees her. 

Amy is complaining about the transition out of their new lift, arguing that the movement is too fast for a contemporary rhythm and that they should simplify the move, when she skates by the temporary boards separating his lesson from the public skating session.

The frustration he feels towards his junior pair dissipates into thin air when he catches sight of her, in simple black sports leggings and a white sweater, her hair piled atop her head. For once she is without her trademark glasses and she looks even more youthful than in her office. She is fresh-faced, a smattering of freckles making an appearance across her light-pink cheeks, invigorated by the cold air of the rink and the increase in blood flow that a good skating session brings. He takes a look at her skates as she skates away from them and notes that they’re of the highest quality, the same brand his own skaters wear, albeit looking slightly worse for wear. The glide of her blade is smooth, and her edges are deep. He immediately wonders where she learnt to skate like that, and who taught her how to complete the series of rocker turns she’s performing so efficiently.

“Uh… Scott? Hello?” Joseph’s voice rouses him from his mind’s wandering thoughts, and he turns back round to see his students peering at him with a curious look. For a pair of 13-year-olds, they certainly seem to have a good idea of why he was staring at Tessa.

“Sorry, where were we?” He pushes all thoughts of Tessa and her flawless skating to the back of his mind as he negotiates a compromise on the transition move.

If he keeps sneaking glances at Tessa while his team aren’t looking, no one has to know.

*

“Hey,” he whispers as she stands against the boards on her phone, her skates now in her bag and her bright white Adidas shoes back on her feet.

She is enthused in her reply. “Oh, hi Scott! Nice to see you,” she pulls him in for a hug, not too dissimilar from their usual end-of-appointment hugs. But Scott could swear that Tessa’s hand slowly glides until it rests just above the cleft of his ass.

Scott pulls away immediately and clears his throat.

“So, what are you doing here?” The abrasive nature of his question does not go amiss, and Tessa frowns. He adjusts course. “I didn’t know you were a skater.” He stands next to her, resting against the boards in a mirror image to Tessa.

“I am! Or at least, I used to be.”

Her eyes light up as she begins detailing her short-lived competitive skating career, discussing her younger self’s passion for the ice. Her hands perform a dance of their own as she recalls early mornings at the rink, long practice sessions spurred on by the thought of the pretty dresses she would wear and the teddies she collected at every competition. She continued skating well into her teens and college, only scaling back on practice in law school.

“So now I just squeeze in a practice every now and then so I don’t totally lose all my skating skills. Most of them are gone now but I try!” She finishes with a shrug.

“Please, you’re not going to lose those edges any time soon,” he counters, laughing and shaking his head from side to side. “You’re a natural, anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could see that.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She swats her hand at him. “Anyway, I have good news. I was going to wait until I next saw you at the office but since you’re right here I might as well tell you.”

Scott’s eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline.

“Natasha’s lawyers have agreed to our initial proposal.” His eyebrows shoot up even further as Tessa continues. She smiles shyly as she gestures with her hands. “So, you get to keep the house, as well as forty per cent of your savings, while Natasha gets the car and sixty per cent of the savings. Overall, a very successful negotiation.” Her small smile cracks open and she’s grinning now, so evidently proud that she managed to secure the terms Scott wanted, without having to move an inch in her negotiations.

“Tessa, that’s brilliant!” Scott’s voice jumps an octave as he throws his arms around her and pulls her flush against his chest. “Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.” He murmurs into her neck. She loops her arms underneath to reach his shoulder blades and she strokes them, soft as ever. As they stand there, the sound of the Zamboni is the only sound to be heard except for their synchronised heartbeats. 

She pulls away.

“You’re welcome.” Her voice is oh so soft, and it makes Scott weak at the knees. “We’ll go through all the paperwork tomorrow and it should take a couple of weeks to be processed, but after that, you should be a free man.” Tessa’s shy smile has returned.

“A free man, eh? Is that the type of man who can take you on a date?”

Tessa lets out a small laugh and looks down at the floor, kicking a thick piece of ice around. She looks back up and she is grinning while shaking her head. The phrase _cognitive dissonance_ leaps to the forefront of Scott’s brain.

“You’re killing me here, T.”

And with that, she lets out a giggle.

“Of course, you can. I’m surprised it took you so long to ask.” Scott takes her hand in both of his. “Honestly, I thought you’d ask when I texted you this morning.”

Scott tugs on her hand to pull her in for another hug. 

“Just one stipulation. We can’t date until after the papers are signed, otherwise, it’s still considered unethical.” Her voice is so, so, low as her mouth hovers next to Scott’s ear that it sends shivers down his spine, electrifying every nerve ending he never knew he had.

“I can do that. What’s another week or two?” He pulls away. “Although, I have a proposition.” 

It’s Tessa’s turn to raise her eyebrows, and Scott gestures to the now Zamboni-free ice. “Skate with me?”

She offers a smile in response.

“Of course.”

Tessa picks up her skate bag and swaps her running shoes for her white boots while Scott runs to the music booth and queues up his usual warmup playlist. He skates over to the boards and Tessa takes Scott’s hand as he leads her onto the ice.

They skate lazily around the edge of the rink, with Tessa breaking free of his hand-hold to perform a jump or two. If he needed any more evidence that Tessa was downplaying her skating ability, it’s evident in her perfect double axel.

“You are something else, you know that right?” He calls out as he skates back towards him, her hand seeking his.

She skates back to his side and he plants a kiss on her cheek.

“What was that for?” Her cheeks flush, and Scott feels a warmth erupt in his stomach.

“Like I said, you’re something else.”

Later, when they’ve tired themselves out after running through every skating skill in the book, they bid their farewells at the doors of the rink.

“I had a great time tonight, Tess. Thanks for skating with me.”

“Any time, Scott.” She reaches for his hand and squeezes it before pulling away and walking over to her car. “See you tomorrow!” She calls over her shoulder.

“See you tomorrow, T.”

Scott returns to his house, _his_ house, and falls asleep easily, the king-sized bed feeling like the perfect fit once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is becoming a common occurrence, but sorry for the long wait!
> 
> Life has been pretty busy so I haven't had much time to sit down and write, but I've figured out the final chapters and adjusted the chapter count. 
> 
> We're almost there, people.


	7. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott's divorce is finalised.

“So as you can see, Natasha’s lawyers have put everything in order.” Tessa gestures to the sheets of paper laid out on her desk. “Like I said yesterday, all of your terms have been agreed to, it’s just a case of going through all of the stipulations that have been agreed to by both yourself and Natasha, and signing and dating each one. After that, the agreement will be sent to a judge to be approved and signed, and then the divorce will be finalised. Since there are no children involved, there’s no reason for the judge to object to the agreement.” 

She points to all the small stickers that seem to be littering the pages, little yellow arrows indicating Scott’s pathway to freedom.

“And after that, you’re a single man.” A smile lights up her face as she reaches into the top drawer of her desk and hands Scott a thick fountain pen.

“Is this your special divorce-signing pen?” Scott teases as he pulls the pen from her grasp, and Tessa takes off her glasses. His smile widens further as he is able to appreciate the smattering of freckles lining her nose and cheeks.

“Of course! It’s the start of a new chapter, these papers deserve more than a 25-cent Biro. Only the best for my clients.”

He nods in acquiescence, and Tessa guides him through the papers that lay on the desk separating them.

“So the terms agreed to in the divorce are pretty simple, and are laid out here.” Tessa picks up a piece of paper and turns it round so Scott can read the bullet points. It’s all there, right in front of him, in black ink.

_Scott Patrick Moir attains sole ownership of the marital home located in Ilderton, Ontario and retains forty per cent of the funds in the savings account shared between Scott Patrick Moir and Natasha Victoria Moir._

_Natasha Victoria Moir attains ownership of the shared vehicle, and retains sixty per cent of the funds in the savings account shared between Scott Patrick Moir and Natasha Victoria Moir._

Tessa hands him the heavy pen, and Scott doodles his barely-legible signature next to every yellow arrow.

Once every line has been signed and every page has been turned, Scott reaches the end of the terms of the agreement. He looks up to see Tessa smiling back at him, and hands her the pen. She holds her hand up in protest.

“Keep it. I give a pen to all my clients as a reminder of the new leaf they’ve turned over. It may not always be a happy divorce, but it’s the start of a new chapter nonetheless.”

Scott smiles as he pockets the pen inside his suit jacket, and Tessa scoots backwards in her chair to reach into the bottom drawer on the right of her desk. Scott cranes his neck over and sees her pull out a bottle of Taittinger and two champagne glasses. She walks round to Scott’s side of the desk and leans against the mahogany wood.

“Oh, we’re going fancy, huh?” He raises his eyebrows as Tessa sets a glass in front of him.

“Only the best for my clients, didn’t I tell you?” She chides, her voice sounding almost melodic as she pops the cork and pours a generous measure of champagne into Scott’s glass before filling up her own.

“Cheers, Scott. To new beginnings.” 

Scott rises from his seat to meet her eye level, and their glasses join in a melodious _clink,_ and they each take a sip, letting the bubbles dance in their mouths.

“Cheers, Tessa. You’ve made this process so much easier than I imagined it could ever be, thank you.”

She smiles into her glass before lifting her eyes to meet his.

“You’re welcome, Scott. I have to admit, I thought I wouldn’t be able to take on your case when I realised who you were and… y’know…” She trails off after her eyebrows quickly rise and fall, and Scott notices a light blush blossoming, rising from her chest to her cheeks, no doubt prompted by the memory of the night they shared barely two months ago. “But here we are.” Her hand sweeps between them, her fingertips lightly brushing Scott’s suit jacket as she gestures towards the signed stack of papers. 

Scott’s gaze flits down to her hand as it lingers on his jacket, her index and middle fingers pressing firmer into his chest. He looks up to see Tessa’s eyes darken to a deep emerald, and the look she shoots Scott sends the blood coursing through his body straight to his groin.

Scott’s voice is an octave deeper and incredibly husky when he chokes out a reply. “You’re not my lawyer anymore, right?”

He places his glass down on the desk beside him, and Tessa does the same.

Tessa’s voice comes out as barely louder than a whisper, and _Christ,_ does that make Scott feel a certain type of way.

“So, what do we do now?” 

Tessa huffs out a laugh, and her reply is the sweetest sentence Scott could hope to hear.

“Just kiss me, you idiot.” 

He does.

It’s soft at first, lips gently pressing against each other and reacquainting themselves with the feel of one another. Scott’s arm reaches to hook under Tessa’s, and he splays his hand against her back. He pulls her towards him as he deepens the kiss, his tongue breaching the gap between them. Her mouth falls open, and Scott’s tongue maps the inside of her mouth. Scott vaguely registers that Tessa is doing the same as her hand reaches up to toy with his hair. Somehow, despite the Tessa-induced fog in his brain, a dim thought registers as he thanks himself for ignoring his mother’s pleas to cut his hair. 

Through instinct or memory, Scott cannot decide, he turns Tessa around to push her against her desk. His hands travel from her back to her hips, and he gently squeezes them in an effort to lift her up onto the desk. Their lips separate for a beat as she hops up, making sure to avoid knocking over the almost-full champagne glasses, their contents long forgotten.

Her legs wrap around his hips, and Scott can feel the sharp prodding of her heels in the small of his back as Tessa pulls him towards her. The pain is offset by the feeling of the warmth of her core pressed against his growing erection, and he moans into her mouth.

The sound acts as a bucket of cold water over Tessa’s head, the icy feeling spreading through her skin, settling into her bones. She pulls away in an instant, freeing Scott’s body from the cage created by her legs.

“Oh my God, Scott. We can’t do this here.” 

Tessa looks like a deer in the headlights as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, attempting to fix her smudged lipstick, and jumps down from the desk. She gently pushes Scott away from her as she walks round to the other side of her desk, straightening her trousers and blouse out as she goes. Scott merely stands there, the lack of blood in his brain rendering him effectively useless and looking remarkably similar to a statue. 

She glances over at the clock on the wall as she sits back in her chair. “I have another client in ten minutes, Jesus!” 

Her lilting tone and light giggle as she places her glasses back onto her face pull Scott from his reverie, and he coughs.

“Yeah, maybe sex in your office wouldn’t be such a great idea. I mean, not if someone was to walk in. Otherwise, it’d be pretty hot, eh?” 

The look on Tessa’s face is incredulous.

“Scott Patrick Moir, there will never be any sex in my office. Ever.” He can’t help but laugh at how incredibly offended she sounds at his suggestion, even if barely two minutes ago she had her legs wrapped around his waist.

He decides to compromise.

“Wanna come by my place later? I’ll cook you dinner, we can watch a movie and just… hang out.” He offers, and Tessa cocks an eyebrow at his suggestion to _hang out._

If she wasn’t so turned on right now, she’d probably turn him down. But she is, so she won’t.

Her heart rate has yet to return to a normal rate when she replies in what she hopes is her most casual tone. “Sure. My last appointment is at 5:30, how does 7:30 sound?” 

“Sounds perfect.” Scott picks up a glass from the table, not bothering to check whether it was his or Tessa’s, and downs the champagne. “Thanks again, Tessa.” 

They both rise out of their seats, and Tessa comes back round to Scott’s side of the desk to give him a hug.

She hooks her arms underneath his and as he buries his head in the crook of her neck, he feels a hand travel down to his ass and gives it a firm squeeze.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” Tessa murmurs, and Scott laughs in response, condensation from his breath forming on the spot where her neck meets her shoulder.

Scott pulls away and adjusts himself in his trousers, trying to avoid scarring whoever may be sat outside Tessa’s office.

He clasps one of her hands and brings it to his face, kissing her knuckles.

“See you later, T.” He turns out her office for the last time and glances over his shoulder as he reaches for the door handle.

Tessa raises her hand. “Bye, Scott. See you later.” 

She goddamn _winks, _and Scott shakes his head in disbelief at the woman he’s somehow managed to convince to come to his house for the promise of dinner and more.__

__He leaves the building feeling ten tonnes lighter than when he stepped in, and the cool evening air revitalises his lungs. He feels as though he can breathe, once again._ _

__He calls Danny as soon as he’s on the road, the hands-free ringing loud throughout the car._ _

__“Hey, Danny. Guess what?”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, but inspiration has been hard to come by recently and I find myself unable to write unless I'm totally 'in the zone', so to speak. 
> 
> I was originally going to have just one more chapter but settled on two. Thanks for sticking with the story if you're still here!


	8. Familiarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa goes to Scott's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! A few things before we begin:
> 
> 1\. You will have probably noticed the rating change, and we all know what _that_ means. It's pretty explicit, so avoid this chapter if that's not your thing.  
>  2\. Because of the content within this chapter, I’ll be locking this fic ~24 hours after publishing.  
> 3\. Just one chapter left! Thanks again for sticking with this story if you’re still here. :)

For someone who enjoyed her job more than she could ever have hoped, the rest of Tessa’s workday drags incredibly slowly. 

She finds her gaze drifting to the clock on the wall during each of her appointments, mentally counting down to 5:30 and the last client of the day. When the final 30 minutes of her day tick down, Tessa finds herself incredibly distracted by the thought of Scott waiting for her at his house. As the woman in front of her discusses her husband’s infidelity, Tessa’s mind flits back to the last time she was at Scott’s house, and she crosses and uncrosses her legs at the memory of his face buried between her thighs.

_For God’s sake,_ she chides internally. _Get it together, Tessa._

She takes a long sip from the bottle of water on her desk and focuses her attention on how to wring this woman’s soon-to-be ex-husband dry.

* * *

Before she’s even halfway across the parking lot of her office, Jordan is on the phone.

“How are you feeling? Nervous? I mean, you've spent quite a bit of time with him so there shouldn't be any awkwardness that comes with a first date.” 

Tessa deliberates before replying, chewing the inside of her cheek. She’d called her sister the moment Scott left her office after his first appointment and she’d been updated with every development in their budding relationship, if you could call it that. Initially outraged, Jordan, a fellow lawyer, argued that Tessa should turn his case over to one of her colleagues. 

“Not really. I like him and we get on well.” It’s simple, but Jordan hums in agreement. "And it's not like there's any doubt about whether he wants a relationship, or sex at the very least. I know where I stand with him, y'know?" She opens the door to her car and climbs in. "I get it. Just... be safe, okay?" Tessa laughs at her older sister's concern. "I'm 29 years old, Jordan. I know what I'm doing." "I know," her sister chides as Tessa starts her car. "I'm just looking out for my baby sis." "And I appreciate it. Anyway, I'm in the car now so I have to go home and get ready to go to Scott's. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“I want all the deets, kay?” Tessa rolls her eyes as she buckles her seatbelt. "And don't forget to wear the white underwear, Scott will love it." 

“Hmm, maybe - we’ll see. Bye, J.” Tessa hangs up before her sister has the chance to protest, and puts her car in drive.

She spends the entire 20-minute journey tapping her fingers nervously against the steering wheel, her free leg bouncing up and down on the floor. 7:30 can't come quick enough. 

* * *

By the time 7:30 rolls around, Tessa has showered, shaved and changed into jeans and one of her favourite blouses. She’s had a small glass of wine and stands on Scott’s doorstep, only the faintest rumbling of nerves playing in her gut. 

As soon as the door opens in front of her and Scott appears, any trace of apprehension evaporates.

“Hey, T! Come in!” He steps aside and Tessa enters the house, somewhat familiar after the fateful night they spent together. “Let me take your jacket,” he moves behind her and helps shrug the leather from her shoulders and places it on a hook next to the door.  
“Thanks, Scott,” she turns back around and well, he’s right there. She leans up and places a soft kiss on his lips.

“Dinner’s this way, follow me.”

Tessa follows Scott into the dining room and sees two steaming plates laden with pasta on the table. Her gut cries out, rumbling loud, and she laughs.

“Guess I was hungrier than I realised. This looks great, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he answers, pulling out a chair for Tessa to sit. He retreats to the kitchen and brings back a bottle of wine which he uncorks and pours into their glasses.

“Cheers, Tessa. To finally getting ourselves out of a platonic business relationship.” 

She guffaws at his joke but concedes his point.

“To us,” she offers back, and they raise their glasses and take a sip of the wine.

Dinner passes quickly, the conversation light. They talk of family, and how they both have nieces and nephews they try and spend so much time with. Tessa tells of various anecdotes of her niece’s dance shows, and Scott does the same.

They realise they’re both the youngest child among their siblings, and were born in the same hospital. While Scott is in the middle of a conversation about his coaching job, Tessa takes a moment to relish in just how _natural_ their conversation flows, and how at ease she feels being around Scott. 

She realises she must be smiling when Scott stops his monologue to ask why.

“This just feels right, you know?” 

Her smile is reflected back at her as Scott agrees.

After they’ve finished their dinner and the soufflé Scott made, _‘so good, Scott’_ Tessa had moaned with every mouthful, they retreat to the living room and Scott picks a nondescript action film to watch. 

He settles into the corner of the sofa and Tessa tucks herself in under his arm, her head and arm coming to rest under his chin.

They stay like that for a while. Tessa thinks at one point that Scott may have fallen asleep as his breathing slows down to an incredibly slow pace, but a loud action sequence blaring through the surround-sound system wakes him. She feels him jolt beneath her, but stills when he realises that she’s still with him. He rubs his hand up and down her arm. As the scene plays out in front of them, Tessa starts to move her hand. Slowly she caresses his chest, and when Scott sighs into her touch she lifts her head from his chest to peer into his eyes.

She sees pure desire reflected back at her. The bob of Scott’s Adam’s apple averts her gaze south for a split-second. When she looks back up, Scott’s eyes are hooded.

“Tess?” His voice is hoarse, as though he’s spent the evening screaming instead of curled up on the couch with Tessa in his arms, the picture of happiness.

It seems like he waits an age before she replies. 

“Yeah?” 

He replies with a kiss, searing and sharp, plunging his tongue between her lips.

Tessa moans in faux-protest as his tongue begins an assault on her own, and the temperature in the room seems to rise about twenty degrees. Sensing the urgency with which his lips are pressing against her own, Tessa rises up on the sofa and slings a leg over Scott’s hips, straddling him.

She feels his erection pressing against her centre just like it was earlier, but instead of pulling away from the moment she grinds down, eliciting a moan from Scott. 

“I’m not fucking you on my couch.” He murmurs as he pulls away from her lips. “Not this time, anyway.” A thrill runs through Tessa’s body. He punctuates his sentences with a kiss, and grabs hold of Tessa’s hips as he stands up.

Tessa squeals at the sudden movement and Scott makes long strides towards the bedroom, somehow carrying them both up the stairs without any issues, mouths still locked together.

When they reach the threshold of his door Tessa makes an effort to release herself from Scott’s hold, but he grasps tighter on her hips, creating a sharp pressure with the pads of his fingers. He takes a few more strides before separating his lips from hers and depositing her on the bed.

Tessa is barely on the bed for a second before she moves towards Scott, still stood by the side of the bed, and hastily unbuckles his belt and unzips his trousers. She takes a brief look at his face and sees his eyes darken as she pulls his length from his boxers.

“Fuck,” she whispers, their drunken night barely more than a vague memory in her brain, as she takes in the sight of him before her. She hears a low chuckle escape Scott’s throat as she moves her hand up and down his cock in a languid motion before lowering her head to suckle the tip.

Scott lets out a sharp hiss as her warm mouth envelopes him and starts moving up and down. His hand goes to her hair and bunches it tightly, pulling her head taught. She moans in response, and Scott’s eyebrows raise with intrigue.

“You like it when I pull your hair?” His hips have started to thrust of their own accord, and Tessa looks up at him through thick lashes, her green eyes glistening with lust. She simply moans once more and shuts her eyes, and Scott’s stomach swoops. “Dirty girl.” He thrusts his hips sharply against her mouth and she chokes as his cock hits the back of her throat, her nose pressed to his pelvis, a guttural sound emanating from deep within her, and _Jesus._ Scott pulls back slightly, and the sight of the saliva and pre-cum hanging from her mouth onto his cock as well as her laboured breathing sends him hurtling towards his orgasm faster than he’d like.

“You gotta stop, T,” he grunts as he pulls on her hair once again to pull him off his cock. She lifts her head, but not before placing an almost-kiss on the head.

Once Tessa is sat all the way back up, Scott pushes her by the shoulders, urging her to lay flat on her back. He leans down to kiss her, arms placed either side of her head to keep himself up, and she ensconces his body within the grip of her legs. The almost-painful friction from her jeans on his cock as she grinds in an upwards motion reminds him that she has yet to even undress.

He pulls away from her and flicks open the buttons of her soft pink blouse one-by-one, exposing the lacy white bralette she wears underneath. Tessa sits up momentarily to shed her top, and unclips the back of her underwear while she’s there. Scott pulls off his own shirt, mirroring her actions. He stands all the way up to take her naked upper-half in, all pale skin and perfect nipples, and bends back down to take a nipple into his mouth.

She keens at his mouth wrapped around her breast, and her hips arch up in search of friction to ease her want. Scott recognises her moans and pulls back from her chest, blowing a stream of cool air onto her nipple, puckering it in the process. Tessa whines at the withdrawal of Scott’s mouth, but Scott’s fingers pinching both her nipples turns her whine into a groan.

“Scott.” Her voice pitches an octave higher than Scott is used to hearing, and his dick actually _twitches_ in response. Tessa writhes around on the bed beneath him, and Scott takes a mental snapshot of this moment.

“I’ve got you,” he replies, intuitively understanding what she seeks. He steps away from the bed and unbuttons her jeans before hooking his fingers beneath the band of her pants. He pulls them down in one swift motion, and she’s bare before him.

She looks like something from a museum, pale skin contrasted with her raven tresses spread on his pale blue sheets. She’s holding her breasts in her hands, and Scott could stare at her all day.

“Are you just gonna stand there or what?” She’s teasing him and she knows it, one corner of her mouth upturned as she speaks. 

“You have no idea what I wanna do to you right now,” he strokes down the inside of one of her legs before pulling it apart from the other, spreading her wide on his bed. He takes a long stare at her centre as he kneels down. 

The moment his tongue makes contact with her she lets out a choked sob, her hand coming to clasp her mouth. Scott removes one of his hands from her thighs and clasps her free hand with his own, their fingers interlocking. Her grip is almost excruciatingly tight, her knuckles white against his own hand, as he works her over with his tongue and teeth. He knows Tessa is on the precipice when her moans reach an incredibly high pitch, and he plunges two fingers into her, knuckle deep, to push her over the edge.

Tessa shatters around his hand, rapidly contracting and releasing over his fingers, falling bonelessly against the bed. She goes totally silent as she does and her head drops back onto the bed, mouth hanging wide open as she rides out her orgasm. Scott is relentless, continuing to move his mouth and hand in tandem until he feels Tessa rise and fall again, unintelligible moans filling the room. He knows she can take no more when she feels her hand reach down to push his head away from her centre.

When he pulls away from her, Scott notes that she has the most perfect smile adorning her face. He leans down once again to kiss her and soak up her happiness for himself.

“Stay there,” he whispers against her mouth. Scott stands up and takes a few steps to his bathroom, where he retrieves a condom from the medicine cabinet. He fumbles with the wrapper and uncurls the latex over his length. 

When he re-enters his bedroom, Tessa has one hand between her thighs and Scott stops dead in his tracks. She’s rubbing small circles around her clit and letting out small whimpers, and Scott wants nothing more than to replace her hand with his own and bring her to completion once more. He takes a few long strides over to where she’s laying and brings his hand to Tessa’s face, sinking three fingers into her warm mouth. He pulls them out and strokes his cock with them, then lines himself up with her core.

Scott searches her eyes for a sign of approval, and the nod that Tessa gives him before pulling his face down to lock lips with him is as good as it gets.

The moment he sinks into her feels like ecstasy. They groan in synchronicity at the feel of each other, the touch they have been denied of for so long. Scott stays buried in her for a moment, letting her adjust, then begins moving with slow, shallow thrusts. Tessa’s legs move higher up his back, deepening the angle, and her hands come to rest on the back of Scott’s head, lightly tugging on the ends.

“Harder, Scott.” She grunts.

He increases the depth of his thrusts by angling her hips higher off the bed. Tessa’s hand shoot over her head and grasp onto his sheets, seeking any kind of purchase to anchor her to the bed and stop her from floating away.

“I’m… fuck.” She trails off. “Close, Scott. God. So close.” She’s grunting, her breath laborious as Scott thrusts push her closer to the edge inch by inch.

“Me too,” Scott manages to reply through the ever-increasing waves of pleasure. He licks his hand and reaches between them, finding her clit and rubbing punishingly tight circles around it. Tessa’s hands grasp back onto Scott’s hair and tug once again as her head tilts back and her moans cease as she surrenders to her orgasm once more, and her legs _shake._

Scott holds off long enough to watch her face transform from a vision of screwed-up ecstasy to one of sheer bliss. It’s only when he sees the smile start to bloom across her cheeks that he finally lets go, thrusting once, twice, three times before he releases himself inside her. He collapses on top of her and her body welcomes the heavy weight on top of her. She rubs her hands up and down his back, soothing him.

He pulls away from her, and Tessa lets out a groan as he pulls out of her.

“Back in a sec, don’t go anywhere,” he kisses her flushed cheek as he quickly moves to the bathroom to throw away the condom.

Tessa is rifling through his closet when he returns, and she pulls out a ragged shirt from junior worlds the year before. She pulls it over her head and Scott walks behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach.

He buries his head in her neck and whispers “You look so good in my clothes.”

Tessa’s hands come to rest on his and stay there for a moment before she unfurls his arms from her body and retreats to the bed, pulling the covers down and climbing in. She pats the bed next to her.

_I could get used to this,_ Scott thinks. He pulls back the covers on his side and pulls Tessa to his chest as he lays down.

“Tess?” He asks a few minutes later while she’s drawing lazy circles on his chest.

“Hmm?” 

“You're my girlfriend now, right?”

Her head shoots up. Scott’s stomach runs cold. 

Her face breaks out into a smile, and her hand comes up to stroke his cheek.

“Of course,” relief floods through Scott’s veins. “I’m surprised it took you so long to ask, I was expecting it as soon as you signed the divorce papers”

“That wouldn’t be romantic, now, would it?”

“And asking me after you’ve fucked me so hard I can barely walk _is_ romantic?”

A blush spreads on Scott’s cheeks and he leans down in order to hide it.

“For the record, this is one of the best dates I’ve had. Just so you know.” She lifts his chin up with her finger and kisses him.

“Me too, T. Me too.”

They fall asleep like that, Scott supine with Tessa wrapped around him. 

Everything is perfect.


End file.
